Leather frame



April 11, 1939. c. s. MORRISON LEATHER FRAME Filed March 24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l j zz enfar I CZarZea 6 Harrison April 11, 1939.

c, s. MORRISON 2,154,347

LEATHER FRAME Filed March 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES LEATHER FRAME Charles S. Morrison, Elkins Park, Pa usixnor to Proctor & Schwartz, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 24,

'6 Claims.

This invention relates to frames of the type used for stretching and drying raw or tanned hides, and particularly to frames used in drying leather in a chamber by use of a circulating dry- .5 ing medium therein.

Hides of the larger animals require the use of correspondingly large frames, and in order to accommodate hides of maximum dimensions frames of excessively large areas are required for stretchingsuch hides, in accordance with the current practice. Such excessively large frames necessitate the use of extremely large drying chambers, which in turn require excessive volumes of drying medium. A correspondingly large number of circulating fans or pumps, and heating equipment of sufficient high radiating capacity for properly conditioning the immense volume of air or other drying medium needed, are also required. Large frames such as are used at the present time are heavy and cumbersome to handle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a frame capable of handling maximum sized skins ,and which will be substantially one-half the size of the frames now in use for'the same purpose, and by which the size of the drying chamber and its complementary equipment is correspondingly reduced in size and extent.

A second object of the invention is to provide a frame of smaller size and lighter weight but of equal capacity and which may be more readily handled in a relatively smaller space in applying a hide to and removing a hide from the drying frame.

Other features of the invention and the construction and operation of the .device constituting the subject matter of the present application will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a leather drying 40 frame made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one corner of the frame shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism 45 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line Fi 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1, the device comprises a main frame I which in the present instance is of the planar type. The frame I in the preferred form disclosed is of a continuous integralhollow 1937, Serial No. 132,828 (Cl. 149-21) tubular construction and includes end or transverse members 2 and 3'respectively and longitudinal top andb'ottom members 4 and 5 respectively, with a corner member 6 extending at an angle to and between the transverse member 3 and the longitudinal member 5.

Disposed within the main frame I is a metallic sheet I, which is perforated, as indicated at 8, over substantially its entire area.

The marginal edges of the sheet I are reinforced as indicated at 9, such reinforcement, in the preferred form, comprising a sheet of metal folded longitudinally with the edge of the sheet I folded in with the metal of the reinforcing sheet 8 and disposed between predetermined layers of the laminated reinforcing edge member 9, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

The sheet I is retained in a position inside the frame I in a plane substantially coincident with the median plane of the frame I, by a series of clevises 'or stirrups I0, shown in detail in Fig. 6, each of which comprises a pair of legs II, II and a cross member I2 connecting said legs to form the U-shaped elements It. The legs II, II are apertured adjacent their outer ends for the reception of bolts or pins i3 which pass through the stirrup legs 11, II and through the sheet I and its marginal reinforcement 9 disposed between said l'egs, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The stirrups III are secured to the frame I by bolts I4 which pass through the frame I and the cross members I2 of each stirrup I and are threaded into nuts l disposed in the stirrups In between the legs II, II thereof and resting on and against the cross members I2 thereof.

The heads I6 of the bolts II, in the present instance; are positioned outside the frame I and lock nuts I! are provided between the frame I and the stirrups III to insure rigidity of the structure. Obviously, the heads I6 of the bolts I4 may be positioned within the stirrups In with the nuts I5 disposed on the outer side of the frame, as desired; without departing from the spirit of the invention.

At the corners of the frame where the members 2 and 4 Join one with the other and where the members 3 and 4 join one with the other, supplementary perforated sheets I8 and I9 respectivelyare provided. These supplementary sheets I8 and H are of a collapsed U-shaped construction and each include an arcuate portion 20, extending around the frame member 4, and depending portions 2I, 2| converging toward the plane of the sheet I.

The sheet 1 is between the depending portions 2|, 2| of the perforated members [8 and 19 with the lower ends 22, 22 of the sheets l8 and I9 disposed in contact with the opposite sides respectively of the sheet I and secured thereto by any suitable means, such for example as by spot welding at predetermined points along the edge portions 22, 22 of said sheets.

The arcuate portion 20 of each of the sheets l8 and I9 is spaced fromthe frame member 4 by semi-circular blocks 23, in the present instance, which, as shown in Fig. 1, are spaced apart longitudinally of the frame member 4.

Rotatably mounted, outside of and parallel to the frame member 4 with its axis substantially in the same median plane of the framel as the sheet 1 is a rockable'element in the form of a roller 25. The opposite ends of the rockable element 25 are provided with trunnions 26 and 21 respectively. The trunnion 26 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 28 while the trunnion 21 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 29, I

The bearings 28 and 29 are secured to the frame member 4 in any suitable manner, for example in the manner illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, wherein the bearing has a substantially semicircular foot 30, shaped to fit the curvature of the frame member 4, with a bolt 3| extending through said frame member and threaded into a tapped opening 32 formed in said foot and in an upwardly projecting body portion 33 of the bearing.

The trunnions 26 and 21 are normally mounted for free unrestricted rotation within the bearings 28 and 29 in order that the roller 25 may rock or revolve freely, if desired. However, in order to control the rocking or rotation of the roller 25 one or both of the trunnions of said roller'is engaged by a plug 34 of copper, brass, fibre, or other suitable soft metal or frictional material. The friction plug 34 is mounted loosely in a threaded opening 35 formed in the upper end of the body portion 330i the bearing, with one end engaging the roller trunnion and the opposite end engaged by one end of a screw 36 which is threaded into the opening 35 of the bearing and arranged to be turned to increase or decrease the pressure of the' brake plug 34 on the roller trunnion, whereby any desired amount of resistance to the rotation of the roller may be provided. I

In the present instance, one or both of the roller trunnions is provided with a collar 31 which is secured to said trunnions by any suitable means such as a headless set screw 38, or the collar may be 'doweled to the trunnion, if desired. The collar 31 is provided with an arm 39 which under circumstances hereinafter noted may be brought into engagement with a'pin 40 which projects laterally from the bearing 29 into the normal path of'rotation of the arm 39.

In operation, the frame is preferably held in a vertical position such as shown in Fig. 1, although the frame may be' loaded and unloaded in a horizontal position, if desired. The roller 25 is turned manually until the arm 39 assumes a position approximating that shown in broken 1 inserted in the openings 8 of the perforated sheet I. The toggling of the one-half of the hide :c is effected along one longitudinal edge :0 of the hide at one side of the frame to secure said edge of the hide in position on the frame. The hide is then stretched tightly in a direction transversely to the hide and the frame around roll'er 25 which extends parallel to and along the one marginal edge 4 of the frame and the second longitudinal edge :2 of the hide is then secured to the perforated sheet 1, on the opposite side of the frame from that to which the first edge :0 has been toggled.

In stretching the hide in the above manner, which as noted is transverse to the frame and to the hide, the roller 25 is caused to rock or rotate to some extent, for example until the arm 39 moves from the broken line position in Fig. 3 to the full line position in said figure, the rocking or rotation of the roller 25 being in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3.

After the edges x and x of the hide a: are securely fastened to the sheet 1, in the manner above noted, the substantially coinciding transverse edges :r at one end of the hides are then secured by toggles of the kind above noted to the sheet 1 and to, for example, the supplementary sheet 18, at each of the opposite sides of the frame I. tudinally and the transverse edges :0 of the hide are then secured to the sheet I and to the supplementary sheet I9 by the usual toggles as described above. The hide is then ready for drying.

As the drying of the hide progresses any variations occuringin the tensions of the appositely disposed halves of the hide resulting from shrinking of the hide as the drying progresses will cause the roller 25 to rock or rotate slightly in one or the other direction in accordance with such shrinkage and the tension created thereby, whereby the hide throughout its entire area from the edge x up the one side of the frame, around the roller 25 and down the opposite side of the frame to the edge at is maintained under substantially uniform tension, the roller 25 functioning as an equalizer between the two halves of the hide.

The supplementary perforated sheets [8 and I9 make it possible to toggle the hide to the frame close up to the equalizing roller 25, whereby the hide may be held against longitudinal contraction or shrinkage at each side of the equalizing roller 25, whereby the fold in the hide is maintained under uniform tension longitudinally with the other parts of the hide during the drying thereof.

The braking of the roller 25 against free rotation is provided to facilitate the placing of a hide over the frame, before toggling and to prevent the roller from running freely as a result of unbalancing of the hide on one or the other of the opposite sides of the frame, before the hide is toggled in position on the frame.

The frame, as shown in Fig. 1, is adapted to be inserted into a slotted opening formed in one of the walls of a drying chamber into which the frames are normally placed for drying of the hides, and the frame I is provided with a slot-closing element 4| which closes the slot in the drying chamber when the frame is fully inserted. The frame I is also provided with trunnions 42, 42 by which the frame may be supported during drying and during the placement of the hides on, or the removal of the hides from the frame I.

The hide is then stretched longiv A drier of the type in which the frame of the present invention can be readily used is illustrated in each of the prior patents to Walter M. Schwartz and Elwood B. Ayres, No. 1,454,694, dated May 8, 1923, and to Elwood B. Ayres and Alpheus O. Hurxthal, No. 1,567,891, dated December 29, 1925, the former of which also clearly discloses a form of toggle for securing the hide to the stretching and drying frame.

I claim:

1. A support for a hide comprising a planar frame, a roller along one edge of the frame around which thehide may be folded with portions thereof disposed at opposite sides respectively of the plane of the frame, and means for applying a definitely determinable retarding force to the rocking motion of said roller transversely to the plane of the frame.

2. A'support for a hide comprising a planar frame, a roller along one edge of the frame around which the hide may be folded with portions thereof disposed at opposite sides respectively of the plane of the frame, and means for limiting said rocking motion of said roller transversely to the plane of the frame to substantially a single complete revolution of the roller.

3. A support fora hide comprising a planar frame, a roller along one edge of the frame around which the hide may be folded with portions thereof disposed at opposite sides respectively of the plane of the frame, means for applying a definitely determinable retarding force to the rocking motion of said roller transversely to the plane of the frame, and means for limiting said rocking motion of said roller transversely to the plane of the frame to substantially a single complete revolution of the roller.

4. A support for a hide, comprising a planar frame, a sole main perforated sheet element rigidly mounted within and secured to the frame in the plane thereof, a roller having a continuous hide supporting face parallel to and spaced from one longitudinal edge of the frame, supplementary perforated sheet elements folded around and disposed at the opposite ends respectively of said longitudinal edge of the frame with depending portions of said supplementary sheets substantially tangent to the peripheral face of the roller and converging toward the main sheet and secured to the opposite ends respectively of the main sheet along the depending edges respectively of the supplemental sheets, the folded portion of said supplementary sheets lying immediately adjacent said roller between said roller and said longitudinal edge of said frame.

5. A support for a hide, comprising a planar frame, a roller adjacent and parallel to one 1ongitudinal edge of said frame, bearings carried by said frame for rotatably supporting the opposite ends respectively of said roller, and a brake plug adjustably mounted in an opening formed in one of said bearings and pressing against the trunnion rotatably mounted therein.

6. A support for a hide, comprising a planar frame, a roller adjacent and parallel to one longitudinal edge of said frame, bearings carried by said frame for rotatably supporting the opposite ends respectively of said roller, an arm rigidly carried by one of said trunnions and extending radially therefrom, and a stop on and projecting from the bearing in which said trunnion is mounted into the normal path of rotation of said arm to limit the extent of rotation of said roller.

CHARLES S. MORRISON. 

